Graham Henry making the same mistakes
Roar Pro By kynang, 8 Sep 2011 kynang is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- All Blacks, Graham Henry, Isaia Toeava, Richard Kahui, Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup 2011, wallabies
The New Zealand side has been announced, and, as usual, there’s a whole host of changes from the team that lost the Tri Nations to the Wallabies.
I think there are nine changes in all. Yes, that’s right, nine!
Henry has admitted that he doesn’t know what his best side is, and seems content to chop and change until he figures that out.
So, for starters, there is a whole new backline; Kahui, a center, is on the wing, partnered with Toeava, a fullback cum center on the other wing.
Nonu, an inside center, is now playing on the outside. Dagg gets a deserved run at fullback and Cowan is back in the drivers seat.
Only Carter remains intact from the Aussie game.
In the scrum, we see four changes. Hore returns, pushing Mealamu out of the match 22 altogether.
Thorn and Williams resume their old partnership. Kaino and Vito take the place of the injured Read and Thompson, and Whitelock is now blindside flank cover.
The cardinal All Blacks’ sin has always been playing key players out of position during the Rugby World Cup – think Cullen at center, a mistake repeated a few years later with Muliaina at center.
Their other favorite mistake is leaving experienced players in the stands during crunch games in favor of young hotshots – think McAlister’s implosion versus France in 2007, while Aaron Mauger looked on helplessly in his suit and tie.
And this first team up against Tonga – trademark All Black Rugby World Cup selection confusion – players out of position, hotshot in place of an established combination; exactly what we, in the rest of the rugby world love to see.
Cue the implosion.
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September 8th 2011 @ 7:31am
Nathan said | September 8th 2011 @ 7:31am | Report comment
Making mistakes is not failure but not learning from them is.
September 8th 2011 @ 7:33am
sheek said | September 8th 2011 @ 7:33am | Report comment
True, very true…..
September 8th 2011 @ 10:58am
thurl said | September 8th 2011 @ 10:58am | Report comment
Kynang, don’t you recognise a Tongan insurance policy when you see one
September 8th 2011 @ 4:10pm
Brad said | September 8th 2011 @ 4:10pm | Report comment
Every one is going on like we have a prop playing on the wing… They have all played in these positions in tests before, so why the fuss.
They can keep this team for the whole tournament and i will still back the boys all the way.
September 8th 2011 @ 7:39am
Jerry said | September 8th 2011 @ 7:39am | Report comment
“think McAlister’s implosion versus France in 2007″
When he was judged to be Man of the Match.
September 8th 2011 @ 7:44am
Jerry said | September 8th 2011 @ 7:44am | Report comment
And Toeava has probably played more on the wing than he has at centre, and is a much better fit there.
It’s also worthwhile to bear in mind that Brisbane was a losing side, and there’s often gonna be a few changes (plus of course the injuries meaning 2/3 of the loose trio were gonna be changed).
I don’t agree with all the selections, but I don’t think the first XV has to play every single pool match. If he settles on a first XV by the French match and then plays the same team vs Canada that’s plenty of time to gel.
September 9th 2011 @ 1:37am
mattamkII said | September 9th 2011 @ 1:37am | Report comment
come on Jerry, this is the roar…no need to take actual facts into consideration.
Just take something you heard some bloke say at the bar, put pen to paper, make sure you slag of a flashy player that people love to hate, shake, stir and hey presto….its a perfect script for this forum.
September 8th 2011 @ 8:01am
Turnover said | September 8th 2011 @ 8:01am | Report comment
I am against playing people out of position but I think Kahui is an exception. He has been successful on the wing previously. This may hold through the whole RWC.
Having Nonu play one game at 13 (where has experience) is not an ideal but far from a disaster. Nonu and Smith know each other backwards. This combination won’t suffer from one or two games of rest.
Fullbacks can play wing. Wings can’t always play fullback.
You are correct in raising these points though but I dont think it’s disaster yet.
September 8th 2011 @ 10:19am
WQ said | September 8th 2011 @ 10:19am | Report comment
We should not forget, Nonu has been made into a second five, he was originally a centre, Muliaina was a winger before he was made into a centre then a fullback, Carter was a second five before he was made into a flyhalf, Kahui was a winger before being made into a centre, Toeava was a winger before he was made into a centre and then changed back to the wing.
I am not sure why there is any reason to believe that these players will not perform in these positions?
September 8th 2011 @ 11:34am
ohtani's jacket said | September 8th 2011 @ 11:34am | Report comment
Kahui was a stop gap measure on the wing because our wing situation was so dire in 2008. If Gear was being shut down by opposition defences this season, what chance does Kahui have?
September 8th 2011 @ 2:20pm
WQ said | September 8th 2011 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
I think every chance, he is big and mobile with plenty of foot-speed to match.
I think he will make a great wing option that can cover the inside positions if the game needs that to happen.
September 8th 2011 @ 4:44pm
cookee said | September 8th 2011 @ 4:44pm | Report comment
none,zip,nought.
henry has the selectorial balance tactically astray.
NZ are trying to win the rwc with a sevens approach.
and everyones shaking in their boots with fear.yeah right
GOSH,LOOK,WAYNE SMITHS APPARITION not so high upon the wall.
and wayne failed at sevens.DAMN
September 8th 2011 @ 8:58am
AdamS said | September 8th 2011 @ 8:58am | Report comment
I can jsut see it now. SBW has a shocker and Nonu , playing out of position zigs when he should have zagged, gets nailed by some big Tongan monster and does a rib….
September 8th 2011 @ 8:59am
Hanzo said | September 8th 2011 @ 8:59am | Report comment
Kahui has history with these coaches on the wing. as does Toeava. In fact Toeava was first choice alongside Gear on the last end of year tour. Nonu is a fine midfielder and wont let anyone down at 13.
And in any case they lost against Australia last time out, I’d be more concerned if they didn’t make changes.
September 8th 2011 @ 9:54am
west said | September 8th 2011 @ 9:54am | Report comment
problem with NZ is that they have great depth if you can call it a problem in forwards and in backs its just who wants the starting position more. On the day any of the RWC players selected can out perform any of the top players in the world. So long as they perform when it counts.
September 8th 2011 @ 4:47pm
cookee said | September 8th 2011 @ 4:47pm | Report comment
REALLY and im thinking youve been away on holiday
September 9th 2011 @ 11:42am
bananas said | September 9th 2011 @ 11:42am | Report comment
Great depth but history tells us that on at least one day in every four years not every New Zealand selection can out perform any of the top players in the world. Will it be within in the next 44 days or was Brisbane the cleanser.
September 8th 2011 @ 10:59am
Wawnout said | September 8th 2011 @ 10:59am | Report comment
It’s deja vu all over again. I’ve already moved on and am looking forward to Dave Rennie vs Ewen Mckenzie coaching battle WC 2015. Watched a lot of ITM Cup and NZ poised to peak nicely in 2014. Oops, 2015.
September 8th 2011 @ 2:27pm
kingplaymaker said | September 8th 2011 @ 2:27pm | Report comment
The mistakes were made earlier this year and to some extent last season in refusing to choose the X-factor, risky players. The punishment was inflicted in Brisbane with the atrocious performance of the back three. Now Henry is trying to remedy the situation by choosing the more X-factorful among his players, and this is a good thing, but some are not available because of the earlier fear.
All he needs to do is send Guildford home, bring back Ranger where Kahui is, and then he’ll have a great team.
September 8th 2011 @ 4:23pm
Das Boat said | September 8th 2011 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
You are reasonably obsessed with the Ranger Danger. ……. he isnt there, and shouldnt be there. You need to have option taking ablities, and he has no international experience.
Give him a season or two in the ABS against the big teams perhaps, but not for this WC. He is a maverick renegade, and there is enough of this ‘x factor’ without him. Need players like Smith to take the right options and balance the ship.
September 8th 2011 @ 5:26pm
Turnover said | September 8th 2011 @ 5:26pm | Report comment
Here here. Ranger has probably passed the ball three times since he was in the Under 11′s.
September 8th 2011 @ 6:24pm
Das boat said | September 8th 2011 @ 6:24pm | Report comment
haha gold. Loved that comment.
September 8th 2011 @ 7:37pm
Winston said | September 8th 2011 @ 7:37pm | Report comment
Couldn’t agree more about Guilford, couldn’t agree less about Ranger,.
Good to see Hosea staying in NZ
September 8th 2011 @ 4:13pm
Worlds Biggest said | September 8th 2011 @ 4:13pm | Report comment
Henry the old fox know’s what the majority of his strongest team will be save for 3 or 4 positions which are up in the air. Those being the back three and halfback. Outside of that the rest pick themselves ( Reid to walk back in once fit ). SBW only get’s a start as he is resting Conrad Smith. Weepu & Cowan is a coin toss. I think against France he will go with Mils at Fullback, Dagg & Kahaui on the wings.
September 8th 2011 @ 4:34pm
cookee said | September 8th 2011 @ 4:34pm | Report comment
WB,glad the old fox KNOWS HIS BEST SELECTION COS JUST LOST LAST TWO GAMES.
and injured reid is indicative of best selections depth.and the ramifications if injuries arise.;clearly plan B right?
and as NATHAN states mistakes are not failures if you learn from them.
henry also LOST the last world cup;so better learn quickly from these mistakes im thinking.
September 8th 2011 @ 5:17pm
cinematic said | September 8th 2011 @ 5:17pm | Report comment
Yeah and those last two games mattered heaps to eh cookee?
September 9th 2011 @ 9:42am
mother teresa said | September 9th 2011 @ 9:42am | Report comment
CINEMATIC,,
think losing the last rwc matters most but not acknowledging the affect on other teams of nzs recent losses would be a mistake and something henry would be aware of would be what cookee suggests.